Dictaphone attachment.



1.1. SCULLY.

DICTAPHONE ATTACHMENT.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 15. 1915.

Patented Dec. 26, 1916.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN J. SCULLY, 0F BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT. ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN GRAPE-IO- PHONE COMPANY, OF BRIDGE-PORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

DICTAPHONE ATTACHMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 26, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JoHN J. SoULLY, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Bridgeport, Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Dictaphone Attachments, which invention is fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention relates to talking-machines, and more particularly to the startand-stop mechanism of machines of the character designed for dictation and transcribing. In such machines it is repeatedly necessary to stop the revolutions of the recording-tablet or blank and then start the same up again, and this is commonly done by providing a clutchmechanism between the continuously-running motor and the mandrel, whereby the opening or closing of the clutch will stop or start the machine as the case may be. Heretofore it has been proposed to actuate such clutch by means of a pneumatic piston, and it has also been proposed to operate it by a purely mechanical device such as a Bowden wire or a mere finger-lever or i the like.

mechanism which may be actuated inter changeably by either the pneumatic or the Bowden-wire control (or by a mere fingerlever) so that the machine may be equipped.

interchangeably with whichever form of control the user may prefer, and both types of control may be supplied if desired.

Broadly stated, then, the invention comprises the employment with a talkingmachine having the usual or any suitable motor and mandrel, of a clutch-mechanism for connecting or disconnecting the two, and any suitable pneumatic device and also any suitable purely mechanical device such as a Bowden wire, and in providing, in combination with the foregoing, suitable means for interchangeably connecting either of said actuating-devices with said clutchmechanism. I

The invention consists further of the improved form of clutch-mechanism; of the two improved forms of interchangeable actuating-de ices; and of the novel means for detachably connecting either of the latter with the former.

The invention consists further of the several features of construction and arrangement and combination hereinafter more particularly set forth and claimed.

The inventive idea is capable of being embodied in various forms, one of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings; but said drawings are employed for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended to define'the limits of the inven tion, which will be clearly set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings which thus illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention Figure 1 is a plan view of one end of the talking-machine, shown partly in horizontal section; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section, on an enlarged scale, of the means for detachablv connecting the Bowden-wire actuating-device; and Fig. 3 is a similar view of a portion of the detachable pneumaticdevice operatively connected in position.

In these drawings, 1 is a bed-plate of the machine, and 2 is the usual or any suitable mandrel mounted upon the mandrel-shaft 8 that turns in suitable bearings, one of which is indicated as the bushing 3. This end of the mandrel-shaft is tubular, and receives the stub-shaft 4, which carries at itsouter end the head 5 whose inner face is serrated to constitute one of the two clutch-members. The other clutch-member 6 consists of serrations upon the face of the hub of the usual or any suitable belt-pulley 7 concentrically journaled upon the outer end of the mandrel-shaft. Preferably a headed; sleeve 7', having internal screw-threads, is fitted in the hub of pulley 7, as a bushing therefor, and the two (pulley and bushing) are passed over the reduced outer end of the mandrelshaft and the sleeve 7 then-screwed home (as by aspanner-wrench), as indicated in Fig. 1. Encircling the other portion of the mandrel-shaft is a sleeve or spool 9 that is secured fast to the stub-shaft 4, as by means of atransverse screw-pin 10 that ex tends through a longitudinal slot 11 in the mandrel-shaft, so that said spool and stubshaft must move longitudinally together, but the two can thus move independently of the mandrel-shaft, while all three must rotate together. The longitudinal slot in the spool is of sufficient length to permit engagement and disengagement of the two clutch-members 5 and 6, which is accomplished by 1ongitudinal shifting of this spool. Upon the spool is a flange, and facing it a frictionstud is secured to the frame of the machine, so that, when the rotating spool is shifted (to the left) in opening the clutch, the friction-stud engages said flange and at once stops the revolutions of the spool (and the mandrel 2). Said spool 9 has likewise a groove 12 around its periphery, to be engaged by a suitable shifting-device. A preferred mechanism for this service comprises the bell-crank lever 13, pivoted to the bedplate at 14, and having on one arm one or more projections engaging in said groove 12, while its other arm has a (slotted) connection with the plunger-rod 20 that reciprocates through a suitable bearing 22 on the frame. This rod 20 projects beyond said bearing and has a reduced neck and terminates in a head that tapers both at its rear or shoulder and at its front, for engaging and disengaging the detachable actuatingdevices to be described later. If desired said rod 20 may be surrounded by a: sleeve 23 of suitable friction-material such as leather or the like, to maintain rod 20 in whatever position it may be placed by the operator. The rear of said bearing 22 terminates in a socket for detachably receiving the plug 29 (Figs. 1 and 2) and the plug 29 (of Fig. 3) forming part of the interchangeable actuating-devices.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, which illustrate the employment of a Bowden-wire device 29 is the tubulanplug adapted to enter the socket aforesaid; and around its end is a sloping peripheral groove 39, adapted to be engaged by the retaining-spring 31 that is secured to the bearing 22. The sheathing 32 of the Bowdcn wire terminates in a rigid sleeve 33, which is placed within the bore of the plug and is provided with a flange or shoulder 34 held in place against the outer end of the plug, as by a screw-ring 35 (Fig. 2). The core 36 of the Bowden-wire passes through said sleeve 33 and terminates in a head 37 located within an enlarged portion of the bore of the plug, where it carries the split-spring fingers or catch-fingers 38 whose inturned ends can be forced over the rounded head 24 of the plunger, either for engaging behind its shoulders or for being disengaged therefrom. It is obvious that the plug 29 carrying its core 36 and its catchfingers 38 can be easily inserted in place in the socket, and by firmly pressing upon the plug the catch-fingers are caused to engage behind the shoulders of the plunger-rod 20; and that by pulling firmly and steadily upon the plug the parts can be disengaged and removed. It is also obvious that longitudinal movement of the Bowden core 36 imparts similar movement to the plunger 20; that the latter imparts a lateral movement to the further arm of the bell-crank 13 and that the latter shifts the spool 9 longitudinally of the mandrel-shaft, thereby engaging or disengaging the clutch 56.

Fig. 3 shows one form of pneumatic control, comprising a similar plug 29, similarly engageable in the socket and held in place by the spring 31. The outer end of this plug is enlarged at 41 to constitute the air-chamher or cylinder for the piston 40. At 42 is indicated the usual air-duct communicating with any suitable source of air-pressure within control of the operator. From the forward face of piston 40 extends a rigid stem 37 with split spring catch-fingers 38, adapted to engage and disengage therounded head of the plunger-rod 20; and another rigid stem 43 projects from the rear face of the piston 40, through a suitable packinggland 44 in the rear wall of the chamber 41, beyond which it terminates in a knurled head 45. By pressing upon this head 45 the catch-fingers can be forced into engagement with the plunger-rod 20. As Bowden-wire devices and pneumatic-controls are well understood, it is deemed unnecessary to illustrate the handle or actuating-means for manipulating the same to cause the member 37 or 37 to reciprocate longitudinally. If desired, there may be provided still another actuating-device, to wit, the finger-lever 50, pivoted upon the bed-plate, and having a cam adapted to engage the extended arm 51 of the bell-crank lever 13 and thereby shift the spool 9.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications of the specific construction here shown may be resorted to without departing from the principles of the invention; and therefore, while the construction has been specifically set forth for the purpose of clearly describing the invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that the invention is not limited to such specific construction, the limits of the invention being determined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. In a start-and-stop device for talkingmachines, the combination of a driven pulley having a clutch member, a mandrel shaft having a second clutch member slidable into and out of engagement with the clutch member on the pulley, a lever operatively connected to said second clutch member, a plug socket, a rod connected to said lever and projecting from said plugsocket and provided at its outer end with means for engaging interchangeably with either a pneumatic actuator or a manuallyoperated actuator, whereby said rod can be actuated to shift said clutch.

2. In a startand-stop device for talkingmachines, the combination of a mandrel shaft and a stub-shaft slidably mounted in the axis of said mandrel shaft and revolving therewith, a sleeve slidably mounted on the mandrel shaft and connected to said stub-shaft, a loosely-mounted driving-member, interlocking clutch members mounted respectively on said stub-shaft and driving member, and actuating-means connected operatively to said sleeve and provided at its outer end with means for engaging interchangeably with either a pneumatic actuator or a manually-operated actuator, whereby said rod can be actuated to shift said clutch.

3. In a startand-stop device for talkingmachines, the combination of a mandrel shaft, a driving element therefor, and clutch members on said shaft and element, with a shouldered rod operatively connected with one of said clutch members to shift the same, a head having spring clips engaging the shoulder on said rod, and manually operated means connected to said head for actuating said rod to throw the clutch.

4. In a start-and-stop device for talkingmachines, the combination of a mandrel shaft and a driving element therefor, clutch members on said shaft and element, a lever for shifting one of said clutch members into operative relation with the other, a rod operatively connected to said lever and having a clip-receiving end, a spring clip engaging said clip-receiving end, and means actuating said clip to throw the shiftable clutch-member.

5. In a start-and-stop device for talking machines, the combination of a mandrel shaft, a stub-shaft mounted to slide in the axis of said mandrel shaft and revolve therewith, a loosely-mounted driving member, corresponding clutch members on said driving member and stub-shaft, a plugsocket, a shiftable member projecting through said plug-socket and cooperatively connected to said stub-shaft, a plug, and manually operated means carried by said plug and engaging said shiftable member, whereby the clutch is operated.

6. In a start-and-stop device for talkingmachines, the combination of a record-receiving mandrel, a mandrel shaft, a stubshaft slidably mounted in and projecting from the end of said mandrel shaft, a loosely-mounted driving-pulley, a clutch member on said stub-shaft, a corresponding clutch-member on said pulley, a sleeve slidably mounted on said mandrel shaft and connected to said stub-shaft, a lever operatively connected to said sleeve for imparting sliding movement thereto, a plug-socket, a rod connected to said lever and projecting from said plug-socket, and detachable manually-actuated means connected to said rod for actuating the same to shift theclutch.

7. In a talking-machine, start-and-stop mechanism, a plunger rod located in a socket of said machine for operating said mechanism, a round-shouldered head on the end of said rod, and a detachable actuating-device having a socket-engaging device adapted to engage said socket and also having spring-fingers adapted to engage said shouldered head.

8. In a talking-machine, start-and-stop mechanism, a plunger-rod for operating said mechanism, a round-shouldered head on the end of said rod, an actuating-device detachably engaging said shouldered head, and means for retaining said actuating-means in operative engagement.

9. In a talking-machine, start-and-stop mechanism built into the machine and comprising the combination of operative-mechanism and a plunger-rod adapted to engage positively yet interchangeably either a detachable pneumatic actuating-device or a detachable mechanical actuating-device.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN J. SGULLY.

lVitnesses:

LESLIE S. EASTMAN, JoHN S. GRIFFITH.

Sopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

